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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Polish Troops Won't Leave Iraq in 2005 | |
| 2005-02-11 | |
| WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Poland will keep its soldiers in Iraq at least through the end of the year, when the U.N. mandate for foreign troops expires, the country's defense minister said Friday. Leaders in Poland, which commands a 6,000-strong multinational force in Iraq, have expressed hope that Iraq's Jan. 30 elections will pave the way for an eventual withdrawal of foreign troops. But Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski told The Associated Press that Poland's previous commitment remains in force. "We will be there until the end of the year," he told the AP by telephone from France, where he is attending a NATO meeting. "There is a decision by the president that Polish soldiers will be there until Dec. 31, 2005 - up to 1,700 soldiers plus an additional 700 troops on standby in Poland, and that's how it will be." Poland has more than 2,400 troops in the multinational force, which is based in central Iraq south of Baghdad. It is reducing its presence to 1,700 troops this month. Sixteen 16 Polish soldiers have died in Iraq. Poland is one of more than 25 countries with troops in Iraq. President Aleksander Kwasniewski has been among the strongest supporters of the U.S.-led war. Parliamentary and presidential elections are planned in Poland this fall, and Kwasniewski cannot seek another term. Decisions on the Iraqi mission beyond 2005 will be taken by the country's new leaders, Szmajdzinski said.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #12 half ifn ya see .com giver him this url fer him colecshen: http://www.progsoc.uts.edu.au/~whophd/fd/Best_adverty_ever.jpg |
| Posted by: Thraing Phearong2664doo 2005-02-11 6:48:10 PM |
| #11 :> |
| Posted by: half 2005-02-11 6:30:11 PM |
| #10 As a Polish-Canadian, all I can say is...be weary. Poland is always a step away from being another Spain. |
| Posted by: Rafael 2005-02-11 3:51:10 PM |
| #9 The Polish were at one time one of the major nations and while it has been many years, I think they will be once again. The US and it's true allies should work to bring Poland into our circle reward their steadfast friendship and assistance as it deserves. We are lucky in a way that our former mayor of Knoxville was tapped by President Bush to be our Ambassador to Poland so we sometimes get to read about him and Poland in the local paper. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2005-02-11 2:26:45 PM |
| #8 Spot on, Mrs. Davis. I'm still eagerly awaiting our mass exodus OUT of Germany, and then having the Germans complain about us UN-INVADING them!! |
| Posted by: Justrand 2005-02-11 1:52:54 PM |
| #7 The Poles know they are caught between decadent Old Europe and degenerate Russia with the Balkans not too far below. The want true friends in the worst way. We need to really mean it this time and not treat them like the Brits and the frogs did in 39. Start building bases. Big time. Not one American in Germany, France or Belgium. NATO HQ to Warsaw or out of NATO. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-02-11 1:46:00 PM |
| #6 There is still one Polish joke left: "Eventually the EU will be dominated by a two-country coalition, which will be the economic powerhouse of Europe, the center of governance of Europe, and the military might of Europe. Those two countries will be Germany and Poland." |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-02-11 1:45:26 PM |
| #5 I stopped telling Polish jokes when Lech Walesa formed Solidarity. |
| Posted by: Mike 2005-02-11 1:45:01 PM |
| #4 Things like this make me very embarassed at all the Polish jokes I laughed at as a child. Everything I've experienced as an adult, from facing the Poles as adversaries during the Cold War to watching them perform as a free nation post-Solidarity, makes me respect them as warriors, as a nation, and as a people. God bless Poland and Poles everywhere. |
| Posted by: RWV 2005-02-11 1:28:58 PM |
| #3 The Polish national motto is "Za wasza wolnosc i nasza!"("For your freedom and ours"). Tells you all you need to know. |
| Posted by: Mike 2005-02-11 12:50:00 PM |
| #2 how's that base transfer from Germany to Poland going? |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-11 12:34:29 PM |
| #1 Trade preferences for Poland, Ukraine, etc. Trade restrictions for France, Germany, Turkey. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-02-11 12:15:31 PM |